2009 Scovie Awards Recognizes Panamanian Company for Product Excellence

Albuquerque, NM, November 19, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Panama-based ALISINA, S.A., which manufactures Sista 100% Natural Pepper Sauce, has received a 2009 Scovie Award. In the industry's most rigorous blind tastings, a panel of the country's top culinary experts sampled hundreds of the world's most lauded gourmet foods, and the top scoring products each won a coveted Scovie banner.

Sista 100% Natural Pepper Sauce won 3rd place in the All Natural Hot Sauce Category. Over 600 products from around the world competed for top honors. The Scovie Awards were created by Dave DeWitt, the nation's leading author on fiery cuisine and founder of the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show. The awards are named for Wilbur Scoville who pioneered a rating scale for spicy foods. The Scovie Awards have become the industry standard for excellence in more than 60 categories of fiery foods.

"This year's entrants really represented the cream of the crop in fiery foods products," notes Dave DeWitt, dubbed by The New York Times as the "Pope of Peppers." "Our 2009 winners represent some of the largest companies in the industry, such as Pace Foods, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Garden Fresh Salsa, as well as start-up companies just getting off the ground. The common factor is their commitment to excellence and the real quality of the products they produce."

DeWitt was also pleased with the geographic diversity of the winners. "This year, our winners represent companies from 32 different states and countries and provinces as diverse as Panama, Australia, Japan, Antigua and Canada," lauds DeWitt. "Scovie winners truly exemplify the diversity and quality of this industry."

For the second year in a row, the Grand Prize winner was a sweet heat product. Bon Bon Bakery and Chocolates of San Diego, California, took the top composite score with their innovative Mayan Truffle, a delectable and innovative confection featuring sweet corn and chile verde ganache enrobed in rich dark chocolate. The top award in Advertising and Marketing went to Idaho-based Treasure Valley Salsa for their Black Bean and Corn Salsa Label. Both Grand Prize winners were first time Scovie entrants.

Many of the Scovie award winning products, as well as thousands of other products, will be available to both trade buyers and consumers at the 21st Annual National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show, February 27--March 1 in Albuquerque, NM. For information on exhibiting in the National Fiery Foods Show, call 505-873-8680, or visit www.fiery-foods.com.

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